Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21K—NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21K9/00—Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
  • F21K9/20—Light sources comprising attachment means
  • F21K9/23—Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
  • F21K9/235—Details of bases or caps, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within bases or caps
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21K—NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21K9/00—Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
  • F21K9/20—Light sources comprising attachment means
  • F21K9/23—Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
  • F21K9/238—Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
  • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
  • H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
  • H01R12/72—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
  • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
  • H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
  • H01R12/72—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures
  • H01R12/721—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R33/00—Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof
  • H01R33/05—Two-pole devices
  • H01R33/22—Two-pole devices for screw type base, e.g. for lamp
  • H01R33/225—Two-pole devices for screw type base, e.g. for lamp secured to structure or printed circuit board
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K1/00—Printed circuits
  • H05K1/02—Details
  • H05K1/11—Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
  • H05K1/117—Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
  • H05K2201/09—Shape and layout
  • H05K2201/09145—Edge details
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
  • H05K2201/10—Details of components or other objects attached to or integrated in a printed circuit board
  • H05K2201/10227—Other objects, e.g. metallic pieces
  • H05K2201/10257—Hollow pieces of metal, e.g. used in connection between component and PCB
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
  • H05K2201/10—Details of components or other objects attached to or integrated in a printed circuit board
  • H05K2201/10227—Other objects, e.g. metallic pieces
  • H05K2201/1034—Edge terminals, i.e. separate pieces of metal attached to the edge of the PCB

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates generally to a light bulb, and more particularly to a light bulb that includes a driver board having conductive contacts.
• LED based lighting systems may offer several energy and reliability advantages over other types of lighting systems such as, for example, incandescent or fluorescent lighting. Thus, LED based lighting systems are increasingly being used to replace other existing lighting technologies.
• An LED based light bulb mechanism may require contact engagement in order to transfer electrical current from a supply voltage to a driver board which provides current to the LEDs.
• Conventional LED based light bulbs typically utilize wires or precision formed mechanical contacts to transfer the supply or line voltage to the driver board.
• the wires used to transfer current from the supply to the driver board are flexible. Since the wires are flexible, it may be challenging to align the wires during production using an automated assembly process. This is because flexible wires are difficult, if not impossible, to position the wires at a point of assembly in repetitive alignment. Accordingly, such wires are usually positioned and affixed manually by an operator during assembly. Using an operator to assemble the wiring with the light bulb is usually time consuming.
• line voltage may be transferred to the driver board using mechanical contacts which are capable of being assembled to the screw shell by an automated process.
• mechanical contacts contain several precision formed components, which are typically expensive and therefore add cost to the light bulb.
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectioned side view of the disclosed light bulb, where the light bulb includes a screw shell, screw shell insulator, a conductive foam insert, and a driver board having two legs;
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectioned perspective view of a base of the light bulb shown in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectioned view of the base of the light bulb shown in FIGs. 1 and 2;
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conductor cap for engagement with one of the two legs of the driver board
• FIG. 5 is an illustration of the legs of the driver board, without the conductor caps shown in FIG. 4;
• FIG. 6 is an illustration of the driver board shown in FIG. 5, with the conductor caps otherwise shown in FIG. 4.
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectioned side view of an exemplary light bulb 10.
• the light bulb 10 includes a screw shell 20, a screw shell insulator 22, a conductive foam insert 26, a driver board 28, a housing 30, and an outer lamp body 32.
• the screw shell 20 is located along a base 34 of the light bulb 10, and defines a threaded portion that is shaped to threadingly engage the light bulb 10 to a conventional light bulb socket (not shown).
• the screw shell 20 is not limited to the size and shape shown in FIG. 1, as screw shells are available in various sizes.
• the light bulb 10 is illustrated as a screw shell type light bulb 10.
• the disclosure is not limited to screw shell type light bulbs, and may be used with other lamps as well, such as, for example, bayonet, multifaceted reflector (MR), and linear T-type ((e.g., T2, T4, T5, and T8) style lamps.
• the illustrated screw shell 20 may represent a base shell or base portion of a bayonet, multifaceted reflector (MR), linear T- type, or other style lamp.
• MR multifaceted reflector
• T-type linear T-type
• the screw profile of the screw shell 20 may be replaced with a pair of oppositely disposed, laterally projecting lugs projecting outwardly from the base shell, and in a MR or T-type lamp the screw profile may be replaced with, e.g. a GU10 or T8 connector profile.
• the light bulb 10 is a light emitting diode (LED) lamp.
• LED light emitting diode
• the disclosure is not limited to LED lamps.
• the light bulb 10 may be an incandescent light bulb, a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), a linear T- type fluorescent or LED lamp, or a gas-discharge lamp.
• CFL compact fluorescent lamp
• T- type fluorescent or LED lamp or a gas-discharge lamp.
• the screw shell 20 is constructed of an electrically conductive material such as, but not limited to, aluminum, nickel plated aluminum, copper, or brass.
• the screw shell 20, the screw shell insulator 22, and, preferably, a conductive foam insert 26 are all located at the base 34 of the light bulb 10.
• the screw shell 22 defines a cavity 38 that receives a portion of the driver board 28 and a portion of the screw shell insulator 22.
• the cavity 38 defined by the screw shell 20 may also receive the conductive foam insert 26.
• the screw shell insulator 22 is disposed at a rearmost or proximal portion 38 of the light bulb 10 and screw shell 20.
• the screw shell insulator 22 may be constructed of an electrically insulating material.
• the base shell 20 or base portion may be constructed of an electrically insulating material and include an integral or separate base shell or base insulator portion 22.
• the screw shell insulator 22 defines a passageway 40 that extends along an axis of symmetry A-A of the light bulb 10 to an aperture 58.
• the screw shell insulator 22 may also define an annular ledge 42 that is shaped to receive the conductive foam insert 26.
• the conductive foam insert 26 may be constructed of an electrically conductive foam such as, but not limited to, polyurethane, silicone (sponge), fluorosilicone, fluorocarbon, neoprene (sponge), or EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer).
• the conductive foam insert 26 may be annular in shape such that an inner wall 48 surrounds the passageway 40.
• the driver board 28 is a printed circuit board (PCB) that may include various power electronics (not illustrated) for providing power to a light emitting element (not illustrated).
• the lighting element is one or more LEDs.
• the driver board 28 includes two legs 50, 52 that extend in a direction away from a rearmost or proximal edge 56 of the driver board 28.
• a positive leg 50 includes a positive conductor trace
• a negative leg 52 includes a negative conductor trace.
• Both legs 50, 52 may be shaped as an elongated rectangle, however the disclosure is not limited to this shape.
• the legs 50, 52 are illustrated as conductive traces, in another embodiment the legs 50, 52 may be constructed of or include a rigid wire instead.
• the positive leg 52 is received by the passageway 40 of the screw shell insulator 22. Furthermore, the positive leg 52 of the driver board 28 extends past the aperture 48, which may be located along a rearmost or proximal terminal surface of the screw shell insulator 22. As explained below, a conductor cap 62 may be placed along a proximal end portion 64 of the positive leg 50. The conductor cap 62 protrudes from the opening 58 of the screw shell insulator 22 and creates a positive contact with a positive contact of a light bulb socket (not illustrated).
• the negative leg 52 is situated at a position that is further away from the axis of symmetry A- A- of the light bulb 10. Accordingly, the proximal end portion 64 of the positive leg 50 of the driver board 28 is located further away from the proximal edge 56 of the driver board 28 when compared to a proximal end portion 70 of the negative leg 52 so as to contact the positive contact at the base of a conventional screw-type light bulb socket.
• the lengths of the legs 50, 52 are based on the specific requirements and geometry of a particular light bulb and corresponding light bulb socket. That is, the lengths of the legs 50, 52 may be adjusted to accommodate various packaging requirements for different types of light bulbs.
• the positive and negative legs 50, 52 are about equal in length.
• the base shell or base insulation portion 22 may include two passageways where both the positive and negative legs 50, 52 extend through respective passageways 40 so as to project beyond the base shell or base insulation portion 22.
• the proximal end portion 70 of the negative leg 52 abuts or otherwise contacts the conductive foam insert 26, which may be used to provide electrical contact to the screw shell 20, with the proximal end portion 70 of the negative leg 52 used to retain or secure the conductive foam insert 26 in place within the cavity 38 of the screw shell 20.
• a conductor cap 72 may also be placed at the proximal end portion 70 of the negative leg 52.
• a base shell or base insulation portion may include a pair of embedded electrical contacts (not shown) that emerge within the cavity 38, where both the positive and negative legs 50, 52 abut the respective electrical contacts within the cavity 38.
• the proximal end portions 62, 70 of the respective positive leg 50 and negative leg 52 abut or otherwise contact respective conductive foam inserts 26, which may be used to provide electrical contact to the respective electrical contacts within the cavity 38.
• the proximal end portions 62, 70 of the respective positive leg 50 and negative leg 52 may then be used to retain or secure the respective conductive foam inserts 26 in place within the cavity 38 of the base shell or base portion.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the conductor cap 62.
• the conductor caps 62, 72 are constructed of electrically conductive materials such as aluminum or copper.
• the conductor cap 62 includes a generally cylindrical profile defining a cavity 78, a first open end 80, and a second closed end 82. Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the cavity 78 of the conductor cap 62 is shaped to receive the proximal end portion 64 of the positive leg 50.
• the conductor cap 72 also includes a similar structure and is shaped to receive the proximal end portion 70 of the negative leg 52.
• the conductor caps 62, 72 may be attached to the respective legs 50, 52 by crimping, soldering, an electrically conductive adhesive, or other electrically conductive mechanical or chemical bond.
• the second closed end may be configured for use as pin connector in a bi-pin connector for an MR type or a linear T- type lamp.
• the positive leg 50 of the driver board 28 is received by the passageway 40 of the screw shell insulator 22.
• the positive leg 50 of the driver board 28 also extends along a portion of the axis of symmetry A-A of the light bulb 10.
• the conductor cap 62 attached to the proximal end portion 64 of the leg 50 protrudes from the opening 58 of the screw shell insulator 22 and makes contact with a positive contact of a conventional light bulb socket (not illustrated).
• the conductor cap 72 of the negative leg 52 of the driver board 28 is in electrical contact with the conductive foam insert 26, and the conductive foam insert 26 is in electrical contact with the screw shell 20.
• the electrical connection between the conductor cap 72, the conductive foam 26, and the screw shell 20 provides ground/negative electrical continuity.
• the technical effects and benefits of the disclosed light bulb include a simple, cost effective approach for connecting a supply or line voltage to the driver board.
• Conventional light bulbs often employ flexible wiring or precision formed components to connect the line voltage to the driver board, which may result in increased process time, cost, and/or complexity of the light bulb.
• the disclosed screw shell, insulator, conductive insert, and driver board may be assembled using an automated approach.
• the legs of the driver board also add simplicity to the overall design of the light bulb.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Fastening Of Light Sources Or Lamp Holders (AREA)
• Connecting Device With Holders (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=65896031

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2018
  • 2018-09-28 WO PCT/US2018/053528 patent/WO2019067968A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2018-09-28 JP JP2020517803A patent/JP7295099B2/ja active Active
  • 2018-09-28 US US16/146,773 patent/US10655795B2/en active Active
  • 2018-09-28 CN CN201880062951.8A patent/CN111148935B/zh active Active
  • 2018-09-28 CA CA3077724A patent/CA3077724A1/en active Pending
  • 2018-09-28 GB GB2003651.3A patent/GB2580249B/en active Active

Patent Citations (4)

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